Reinvigorated and revamped Bloss headlines Blue Jays' Fall League contingent

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It’s not often that players with big league reps under their belt embark on the Arizona Fall League. But things have been far from linear for Jake Bloss, who has combined to throw just 51 innings over the past two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, which meant that, as he put it, “time can get a little weird.”

All that down time provided ample opportunities to pick up new hobbies, something that was a natural fit for Bloss, a double major in economics and math who graduated early from Lafayette before going on to get his graduate degree from Georgetown. He intended to focus on one item long-term initially before pivoting to lots of shorter stints, like getting “pretty good” at Spanish before shifting his focus.

But his sight lines have always involved being on the mound. Bloss skyrocketed through the Astros’ system after they selected him in the third round of the 2023 Draft, making his Major League debut less than a year later. He made three starts with Houston before he was flipped to Toronto at the Trade Deadline as part of the return package (which also included Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner) for Yusei Kikuchi.

“There are certain parts that -- I don't know why -- they just stay with you, other parts are more of a blur, especially during your debut,” said Bloss of how he views those starts now. “I don't know if blackout's the right word, but you kind of just aren't thinking. ... You just kind of trust in what you've done and sometimes that means you don't remember everything. So you go back and watch it and you're like, ‘Really?’ But a super cool experience for sure.”

Since the trade, Bloss has stepped into the proverbial pitching lab. Over the past two years, the Jays have worked with the right-hander on pitch grips, mechanics and ways to improve his velocity; he threw two heaters this season for Triple-A Buffalo at 98 mph or higher, superseding his MLB-high of 96 mph during his first taste of The Show two summers ago.

The abbreviated numbers this year (6.18 ERA) for Bloss -- who ranks as the Blue Jays’ No. 11 prospect -- are a bit muddied by a June 25 outing in which he yielded 11 runs during a start in which he was focused on hitting his pitch count. But as he was gaining momentum to his side, he was shut down after just 11 regular-season starts due to a teres major strain in mid-July. 

A major benefit of sending Bloss to pitch for the Mesa Solar Sox -- for whom he’s slated to throw around 15-20 innings -- is that he can work in a controlled environment that sets the stage for 2027, where he could be in the mix to throw meaningful innings for the Blue Jays after they got the second-lowest number of innings (749 1/3) from their starting staff among all American League clubs this past season.

“You're definitely tinkering, because you do have time to experiment in a non-game situation, which is helpful because you don't want to be -- if you can avoid it -- experimenting in a game, especially in games that matter," said Bloss of how he's continued to hone his craft even while not physically being on the mound. "You want to have your stuff fine-tuned. So it’s nice to have an environment where you can experiment with pitch shape, pitch mixes, with kind of no consequences.”

It begs the question: Will there be things added to his arsenal that weren’t there before?

“Might find out,” said Bloss with a smirk.

Blue Jays hitters in the AFL:

Jake Cook, OF (No. 20): Recruited to Southern Miss as a two-way player, Cook dialed his heater up to 96 mph before ultimately focusing on the batter’s box. Toronto popped him in the third round of the 2025 Draft and he immediately became the fastest player in the system, one of just four ranked prospects in baseball with an 80-grade run tool. He spent the majority of his debut campaign with Single-A Dunedin, where he hit .250 with a .738 OPS and collected 21 steals on 25 attempts.

Jake Casey, OF (No. 23): The son of 12-year big leaguer Sean Casey, Jake has quickly ascended to looking like a steal after the Jays popped him in the 15th round of the 2025 Draft. While he’s been old for the A ball levels he’s appeared in, the left-handed-hitting outfielder has a .902 OPS in 87 pro contests. After sustaining a broken hamate bone in his first game of the year with High-A Vancouver that knocked him out for more than two months, time in the Fall League will allow him to make up valuable reps.

Aaron Parker, C: Parker has moved at a one level per year pace since the Jays selected him in the sixth round out of UC Santa Barbara in 2024. The right-handed-hitting catcher set career highs in almost every major offensive category across 87 games this year for Double-A New Hampshire and was one of eight prospects across the system to collect double-digit home runs (19) and steals (12).

Other Blue Jays pitchers in the AFL:

Brandon Barriera, LHP: The 23rd overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Barriera’s pro career has been besieged by injuries -- a hybrid Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure and a fractured forearm among them, limiting him to 66 career Minor League innings. He dealt with more issues during the summer but returned to make eight appearances, including two that marked his debut at High-A. His fastball sat 92-94 mph down the stretch and he was able to rip off multiple sliders that registered north of 2900 RPMs. 

Gilberto Batista, RHP: One of three prospects Toronto received in the Danny Jansen swap with Boston just prior to the 2024 Trade Deadline, Batista has since primarily operated as a bulk reliever, logging at least 85 innings each of the past two seasons. While Batista has a clean and repeatable delivery, he was lit up this year with Vancouver, surrendering a .307 average and .925 OPS against while working to a 7.86 ERA. He works with a mid-90s heater, 84-87 mph slider and a mid-80s changeup.

Fernando Perez, RHP: A 2024 All-Star Futures Game selection, Perez hit a roadblock this season as his control eluded him, leading to 25 walks in 20 innings. He was placed on the Developmental List on May 4, returning to Double-A in late August. Still just 22 years old, the Nicaragua native has long been viewed as having exemplary feel for his four-pitch arsenal, which he’ll need since he doesn’t miss a ton of bats with average velocity and shapes. But he has a repeatable delivery coming from a 6-foot-3 frame and can pound the zone when it’s all going right.

Yondrei Rojas, RHP: Back in the Fall League for a second consecutive year, Rojas is looking to reclaim some of his prospect buzz after his first foray into the upper Minors led to a 5.47 ERA across 40 appearances this season. The 23-year-old earned his first promotion to Triple-A down the stretch and he showcased a 94-96 mph heater, upper-80s cutter, low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup across four outings for Buffalo. He’ll be Rule 5 Draft-eligible this winter, so a strong showing would go a long way toward earning him a 40-man spot with Toronto.